Paranormal Television: A Genre Of Reality TV

Superior Essays
Paranormal television is a genre of reality television. Its scope comprises purportedly factual investigations of paranormal phenomena, rather than fictional representations found in such shows and movies as Scooby-Doo, Ghostbusters, and Rentaghost. In the print media reports of supernatural occurrences have always been common. When TV became more and more popular stations needed to find way of differentiating themselves. Starting in the 1960’s TV stations began to feature ghost stories. This would eventually transform and develop into the programing that we have today. In 1976 the first truly popular show revolving around the paranormal came onto air; In Search of… hosted by Leonard Nimoy ultimately ran for six years. In Search Of... explored many paranormal topics, including UFOs, cryptozoological creatures, lost civilizations, and other mysteries. The show’s popularity ultimately died down, but its legacy lives on, as it gave way to future television shows in the paranormal genre. Today, shows revolving around the idea of paranormal activity (especially ghosts) are huge. For the networks it is big business and has over the years become one of the fastest growing genres in today’s television line up; last year alone, at least eighteen new ghost shows went on the air. The increase in number of shows tells us there is a demand by the public for the genre. Culturally, something is going on which is fuelling this increased interest in paranormal television; the question is what. For networks, capturing the audience’s attention within the first few minutes is crucial. …show more content…
Over the years the networks have created and perfected a formula to do just that. This formula often causes shows within the genre to come off very theatrical in nature and is often presented at face value. Noting this, Mike Hale, New York Times Culture editor characterized ghost hunting shows as "pure theater" comparing the genre to professional wrestling or soft core pornography. The “ghost show formula” tends to be fairly consistent around the board. Usually at the start of the episode there is a belief among one or all of the protagonists that the unexplained activities are caused by a supernatural force but the resolution shows that it can be scientifically explained Typically these shows begin with a briefing of sorts, during this time period in the episode the history of the haunting is discussed. This usually involves over dramatic reenactments and/or flashes of evocative images and use of “spooky” sounds (bangs, ringing, etc). Often the crew will interview locals who speak about the haunting in question, explaining the back-story to the haunting and possibly their own experiences of it. This section of the show also will typically use evocative images and sounds. The next section typically involves the ghost hunting team will usually explore the location during the day. The setting is usually but not always in historical locations e.g. like a mansion, house, building, theatre, graveyard, railway yard etc. The haunt location can be rural and remote or it can be within a suburban area. The ghost character’s presence usually means it has unfinished business, whether it be revenge or to protect the location they haunt; usually the location plays a key role in this either way. After All the build up the ghost hunting team finally go on the hunt. The hunt will often involve very defining rituals if you will where the hunters will call out to the ghost, yelling and antagonizing the spirit to illicit a response through temperature change or through voice recordings. During …show more content…
Our ability to correctly discern whether or not a given phenomenon really exists is something that strikes us all at the very heart of the human endeavor. Culturally speaking ghost stories and legends of hauntings have been present throughout history and seen in just about every culture throughout the world. The reason for this is quite simple; people of all types have either a fascination with the afterlife, the reasoning of death and the interaction between the living and the deceased. The same is absolutely true in the United States. One of man’s mysteries is what happens after death, to find a way to rationalize and explain the afterlife is comforting to many. Comfort, reassurance, and certainty are three things that truly satisfy the American people whether it is financial, religious or in this case paranormal and knowledge of the

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